Wisconsin Football: 3 takeaways from win over Nebraska in Week 6

1. Johnathan Taylor looks like Wisconsin’s next great running back

If you hadn’t heard of Johnathan Taylor before Wisconsin’s Week 6 game against Nebraska, you got one heck of an introduction.

Taylor rushed for 250 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns for an insane 10 yards per carry average as the team’s leading rusher.

While running behind one of the best offensive lines in the entire country, Taylor, a true freshman from Salem, N.J., has amassed 767 yards on 97 carries for nine touchdowns as team’s lead back, and is on pace to become Wisconsin’s next great tailback, following in the footsteps of Badger greats like James White, Melvin Gordan, Montee Ball and last year’s starter Corey Clement.

Much like these players, Taylor has excelled in the Badgers’ downhill running scheme, which relies on a plethora of clock wasting I-formation plays, as well as a sprinkling in of shotgun zone runs for good measure.

Taylor has shown that he is a complete runner, and has delivered highlight reel-caliber performances out of whatever set head coach Paul Chryst chooses to deploy on any given play.

While Taylor has yet to show an ability to be a contributor in the passing game, something that Wisconsin doesn’t typically ask their tailbacks to do consistently on a week-to-week basis, No. 23 has shown the ability to make plays in space and should be able to contribute in whatever role the teams ask him to fill.

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If Taylor can prove that he is able to pass block on the rare occasion that the Badgers choose to throw the ball, with only 17 passing attempts in the team’s entire Week 6 outing, Taylor could very well become the Badgers’ next true bell cow running back.